King of Fighters: Brothers of Southtown
by Jiro-One
Summary: The tale of two brothers, Baek Yong-Hwa and Baek Jang-Ha. Finally, Baek Yong-Hwa must face Joe Higashi for the title. But if he wins, Geese Howard owns him for life with no guarantee that his brother will live. If he loses, he and his brother die. R
1. Round 1: The Young Kickboxer

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fatal Fury or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do however, own Baek Yong-Hwa, Baek Jang-Ha and Gum and may not be used without my permission. Note: Italics means they're speaking in Korean.

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**Round 1: The Young Kickboxer**

Southtown Sports Arena

"Ooorrraaaa!" Joe shouted as his elbow slammed down on his opponent's head, sending the other Muay Thai fighter down to the mat. The referee examined the fallen fighter and then signaled the knock out, raising Joe's hand as the crowd exploded into howling cheers. Joe jumped to the turnbuckle and raised his gloved fists in the air to salute the crowd. The cheers grew even louder to the point of being deafening; Joe Higashi was truly loved by all in the crowd. Except...

In one of the numerous exits, a black hooded teen looked towards the ring with an annoyed look, "All of these cheers for defeating a mediocre adversary... tch!" The boy spat and turned to leave, his hands in the pockets of his black jacket and his footsteps leaving a negative hum. As the door neared, the hooded figure extended his arm and outstretched three fingers against the push handle, easily opening the door and walked out.

Outside the arena

Outside of the stadium, the pavement was wet and riddled with small puddles, signs that it had rained recently. The sounds of the crowd were audible even outside; the teen smoothly pulled out an iPod that had 'Baek Yong-Hwa' labeled on it, placed the ear plugs in his ears hidden by the black hood, and began to bop his head to the rifts of the music.

But as Yong-Hwa walked, he got the attention of some lowly thugs. As the teen walked by an alleyway, he was cut off by apparently the leader of the group, a leather wearing thug that had a switchblade in hand. Baek didn't even bother to turn off the music to hear the threats the man was hissing at him. This clearly irritated the thug, and the second his brain commanded his body to attack, he was knocked unconscious by a lightning fast kick to the neck.

Smirking, Yong-Hwa flung his head back, making the hood fall from his skull. The teenage boy was Korean judging by his features and name, handsome, seemed to be about 19 years of age, and had long black hair tied into a ponytail. The young Yong-Hwa assumed a fighting stance that resembled Muay Thai and glared into the several thugs.

Two of the thugs were more than a little unnerved by the fall of their comrade, but regardless they charged at him. Instead of retreating, Yong-Hwa advanced on the two thugs. One of the thugs threw a hard right towards the Korean's head, which he blocked with his elbow. This broke the thug's hand, making him holler in pain; the kickboxer then flung his foot into the man's abdomen repeatedly, making him hunch over. Yong-Hwa then ended the assault with a downward elbow strike to the thug's skull, making him crumble to the cold pavement.

The young kickboxer then saw that one of the thugs was about to connect with a left hook. At the last moment, Yong ducked under the punch and quickly spun around, bringing his foot up and slamming it against the mugger's jaw, knocking him out cold. Fear swept over the other thugs, making them scatter, Yong-Hwa merely sighed, put up his iPod, and put his hoody back on. He was about to head for home until he heard...

"Hey you!" A loud voice rang in his ears. The Korean kickboxer turned around with an annoyed movement.

"You're good enough to trash a few thugs, but can you hold your own against a real fighter?" The man challenged the younger fighter. Yong-Hwa then recognized the man; it was the Muay Thai champ, Joe Higashi. Joe was wearing a T-shirt and jeans that he probably threw on after the fight was over.

Yong-Hwa would have declined, but the opportunity to dethrone the champion was too good to pass up. The Korean kickboxer was disappointed with Joe's performance tonight; to Yong, he was way overrated since all he did was fight lesser opponents.

The Korean merely clenched his fists and eased into his stance, Joe did the same. The two eyed each other, though Yong-Hwa's hood made it difficult to notice. Higashi had an arrogant grin etched on his face, while Baek remained serious with his lips formed in a straight line. Both fighters stood where they were, searching for an opening in their opponent's posture. Neither of them could fine one, and Joe's impulsive attitude then got the better of him.

The two fighters then charged at each other and jumped at each other trying to connect with a knee strike. Both knees collided with the chests of their opponents and the fight had begun. Both of them were unharmed by the knee blows and kept fighting like it never happened.

Baek sent several low kicks to Joe's legs with the intent on damaging them out of use; but this was a far more difficult task than he had anticipated, Joe's feet were as solid as stone. Joe threw several punches at his younger adversary, but he easily evaded them all and countered with a quick kick to the abdomen, pushing Joe back a little. This didn't discourage Joe at all; in fact it only motivated him further.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Baek felt a strong kick slam into his exposed cheek. The force of the blow knocked the Korean down on the cold pavement under him. Joe had just performed one of his trademark moves, the Slash Kick. Higashi's arrogance was clear on his face, "Tatte!" He demanded as he dabbed a finger at the downed Yong-Hwa.

As Baek rose to his feet, his hood fell from his skull. It was dark out, which made it difficult to see his features regardless. But one thing was clear, he was mad. "Punk." He insulted and advanced on Joe in the blink of an eye. Before Joe knew it, he was on the ground and his chin was aching. He looked and saw that Yong-Hwa's foot was extended straight up in the air. Joe wasn't the brightest of them all, but even he could surmise what just happened.

"Mole kick," Yong-Hwa said, telling his opponent the name of the move that took him down. But Yong-Hwa knew that Joe was holding back, and he had a feeling that Joe knew that he was also. Baek's expression changed to one of shock, wondering what time it was. Quickly, he pulled out his cell phone and glanced at the clock on the lower right corner, _"Crap! I'm late!"_ He shouted in Korean and darted off, jumping over an irate Joe in the process. The fight was just getting interesting and then he just left it unfinished. What was worse was that Higashi didn't even get a good look at the guy or his name.

"Who the hell was that guy?" Joe wondered and ran in the direction of his former opponent only to see his fleeing figure. "Damn..." he mumbled.

Baek's apartment room

The apartment Yong-Hwa dwelled in was owned by a friend of their parents. Thanks to this relationship, Yong-Hwa's rent was decreased considerably due to sympathy for his misfortunes. His room was a rather nice one, decent sized living room and kitchen, three bedrooms, and he was lucky that they allowed pets.

Inside the room, a young boy with dreads was watching TV with a Jindo dog resting beside him. These two were Yong-Hwa's little brother and canine companion, Baek Jang-Ha and Gum. Jang-Ha was watching the hip hop music station, listening to the beats. Unlike his big brother, Jang-Ha was obsessed with the B-boy culture that was raging on in his old home. Yong-Hwa nearly laughed his head off when Jang-Ha was trying to convince their mother to let him grow dreads, but amazingly she OK'd it.

Jang-Ha looked at the clock, wondering what was taking his older brother so long to get home. He was hoping nothing happened to him, he had already lost enough family members since he had been here. Gum seemed to take notice of his concern and nuzzled his furry head against Jang-Ha's side in an attempt to reassure him all was well.

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door followed by a rhythm of knocks. Jang-Ha and Gum came running towards the door and opened it, the little boy had a huge smile on his face and the dog's tail was wagging to and fro. Yong-Hwa barely had time to make it through the door before being practically attacked with hugs and licks.

"What took you so long?" Jang-Ha asked, still wrapped around Yong-Hwa. Ever since the incident, Jang-Ha's never been the same and neither has Yong-Hwa.

The older brother merely returned the hug, "Just a few sidetracks, nothing serious. But still, I'm sorry I'm late; you know I don't like to worry you." He replied, ruffling his little sibling's many dreads. A smirk then crept on the older Baek's face, "So..." Yong-Hwa began, "Ready for a little spar before bed?" He challenged, which Jang-Ha accepted with a firm nod.

Apartment Rec room

Since the Baek's apartment was in Southtown, it was fitting for it to have a small gym. Yong-Hwa was working on the punching bag, his fast kicks smashing against it constantly. Yong-Hwa was wearing blue sweatpants with white stripes down the side and black fingerless gloves. Yong was shirtless, which revealed the tattoo across his chest; the word 'Courage' was spelled in big Hangul. Yong-Hwa was extremely well built, making it obvious that he could hold his own against other fighters.

Jang-Ha on the other hand, was performing unorthodox kicks and stretching in a contortionist fashion. Jang-Ha was the brother that was blessed with flexibility. The younger Baek was wearing a tank top, red sweatpants with white stripes down the side and had his hands bandaged. Jang-Ha wasn't lacking in fitness himself, thank the breakdancing for that. After the brief warm up was over, they turned and faced each other. The brothers walked towards one another until they were a foot or so away and touched fists in a show of respect.

Quickly, the two backed away and assumed their fighting stances, both looking for a brief opening. Yong-Hwa took a brief step forward and Jang-Ha reacted with a fast kick aimed towards his big brother's side. Yong-Hwa raised his knee to intercept the blow, giving his little brother a 'not bad' face. Suddenly, Yong-Hwa threw a kick towards his little brother's chest, with the intent on ending the fight quickly. What happened next no one would have predicted...

Jang-Ha leaned down and placed his arms on the ground, swinging both his legs out and sweeping his older brother's feet from under him. Jang-Ha had performed what was known as a flare in breakdancing. The younger Baek had been taking lessons from Duck King, which had a great impact on his style of fighting. Jang-Ha would switch between his brother's KyukTooKi (Korean kickboxing) and b-boy inspired techniques, making him unpredictable.

Jang-Ha then stood up, looking over his fallen brother with a smug look, thinking the fight was over. Suddenly, Jang-Ha backed up when he saw Yong-Hwa's face; he looked beyond angry, apoplectic even. Truthfully, Yong-Hwa wasn't angry; he just used that face to frighten his opponents, a clever tactic. Yong-Hwa kipped up and grinned at his brother, "Gotcha." He taunted, about to fight seriously. Jang-Ha paced himself knowing this wasn't gonna be easy.

A few minutes later...

Jang-Ha was on the ground, out of breath. Yong-Hwa was panting and sweating, but he was the victor. Yong-Hwa had to hand it to his brother; he could hold his own in a fight, which was necessary when living in a place like Southtown. The victorious brother walked towards his fallen sibling and offered him his hand, which Jang-Ha accepted. Both were proud of each other, one for besting him and the other for putting up such a good fight.

The two then made their way out of the gym and back to their rooms for a well earned nap.

Yong-Hwa's bedroom

1:00 AM

Yong-Hwa lay under his smooth covers, his long hair untied and his face peaceful. The older Baek was sleeping easily until he heard a knock on the door. Slightly annoyed, he rose his body upwards and looked towards his door, _"Come on in."_ He said in Korean certain of who it was. A little timidly, the door opened revealing his little brother was... sad.

"_What's wrong brother?"_ He asked his distressed sibling.

"_I had a nightmare... about... you know who..."_ He was barely able to answer, still feeling the heartache. Jang-Ha was doing his best not to cry, but holding something as tragic as what happened in would do even more damage.

"_Hop in."_ Yong-Hwa commanded, gazing at his brother thoughtfully. Jang-Ha made his way over to Yong-Hwa and got under the covers, unable to hold it in he silently wept on his big brother's strong chest. Yong-Hwa held him close, doing all he could to sooth his little brother's pain. Yong-Hwa was hurting himself, but he had to be strong for his little brother. Even Gum, who made his way inside, felt Jang-Ha's sorrow and crept in the bed with them nuzzling his younger companion.

Eventually Jang-Ha calmed down, muttering the words 'thank you' before falling asleep on Yong's shoulder. Yong-Hwa nodded and slowly fell into slumber as did the Jindo dog. _'What a day...' _was Yong-Hwa's last thought before he fell asleep again.

To be cont.

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Next chapter preview: Baek Yong-Hwa has to go to work at the Pao Pao Café, but as his luck provides, trouble starts brewing as his actions gain him unwanted attention.

Next Round: Pao Pao Café


	2. Round 2: Pao Pao Café

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fatal Fury or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission. As stated in the previous chapter, italics means their speaking in Korean

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**Round 2: Pao Pao Café**

10:00 AM Thursday

Yong-Hwa awoke with his brother asleep in his arms, their dog staring at them panting and wagging his tail. Yong-Hwa had a poignant look on his face, Jang-Ha's nightmare made him dream about what happened last year. How their parents died. It was an average day, they were coming back from a trip to the mall, it was raining and the road was slippery. A semi truck collided with their car; they slid across the street and into a streetlight. The streetlight collapsed on the front row of the car, crushing both of their parents and spraying blood all over the inside of the car. Yong-Hwa was unconscious but Jang-Ha witnessed the whole tragic event.

Yong-Hwa made a promise that night to protect and raise his brother. It was rough at first, but Yong-Hwa was amazed by Jang-Ha's will to keep moving on despite this. The horrible event not only made him mature faster, but it made him cherish every second of his life. Jang-Ha realized tragedy can strike at anytime, so every moment of content is precious.

Jang-Ha stirred as his vision came back to him. Slowly he pushed himself up, his body producing several audible cracks as he stretched his young limbs. The younger brother looked at Yong-Hwa with a face full of affection, _"Yong-Hwa... GET OUT OF BED YOU'VE GOT WORK TODAY!!!"_ He shouted in his brother's face, making him jump. Yong-Hwa hated it when he did that.

Yong-Hwa lethargically dragged himself towards the bathroom; taking a shower and wasting some time by letting his thoughts wander as the water hit him. The older brother finished cleansing himself, wrapped a towel around his waist, quickly brushed his teeth, and left the bathroom.

7:00 PM 

After everyone was finished bathing (including Gum) and ate, Jang-Ha was in the kitchen, practicing his handstands as Gum watched. Jang-Ha was wearing his trademark hat that their mother bought on his 13th birthday last year. Yong-Hwa quickly put on his outfit, which was a white long sleeved buttoned shirt, a black dress vest, and black dress pants and well polished black shoes. Yong-Hwa left his brother some money for pizza if he got hungry and quickly left for work, not wanting to be late. Heh, he was lucky it was summertime because when school let in, it was gonna be murder as always.

Yong-Hwa made his way towards his car, which was a black 2002 Kia Optima. It wasn't the most recent car, but it was reliable and got him from A to B without any problems. Yong-Hwa unlocked the doors, backed out of the space, and made his way out of the lot and towards the Pao Pao Café.

Pao Pao Café 7:24 PM

The famous Pao Pao Café, one of the top hot spots in Southtown that was always packed, especially at night. After parking, Yong-Hwa entered through the back entrance, waving at his fellow workers as he made his way towards the locker room. Yong-Hwa saw that the club was crammed with customers, some looked pretty decent, and others looked a little rugged. Immediately, Yong-Hwa started serving drinks and taking orders. Everything was running smoothly until the Lovely Wolves showed up.

When Yong-Hwa noticed them, he was almost star struck, everyone had heard of them. They competed and won several King of Fighters tournaments, earning them even Yong-Hwa's respect. Yong-Hwa saw that Terry was chatting with his brother, and there was a girl with huge breasts next to Andy clinging to his arm. Baek could tell from the look on Andy's face, that he wasn't enjoying Mai's affection very much. Last but not least, among them was...

"Hey you!" One of them said to Yong-Hwa, making him cringe as he recognized the voice. It belonged to his secret nemesis, Joe Higashi.

Yong-Hwa sighed as he turned around, "What'll it be?" He asked, slanting his voice so Joe wouldn't get suspicious of him.

Joe had a strange feeling that he knew this guy, he seemed sort of familiar, "Warm sake, dude." Joe ordered, getting a nod in return from Baek. Yong-Hwa was relieved, glad that Joe didn't recognize him. The Korean kickboxer poured and served Joe his sake, and moved on to the next customer. But just when you think you're in the clear...

"Hey baby! Get back here!" Yong-Hwa heard from a small distance. Annoyed, he turned around and saw some of the thugs that ran away from him yesterday. They were teasing and abusing a poor waitress. The waitress' name was Silvana, a beautiful girl that helped him get this job. The waiter next to him, Bob Wilson was about to handle the issue, but Yong-Hwa placed his hand in the way saying that he'd deal with this one.

As the thugs pushed her around, the leader of them yanked her by the arm towards him. The leader had short black hair, goatee, and shades that rested on his nose. He was wearing a white dress jacket, black undershirt, and black leather pants. "Look chick, I don't think ya know who we are. You do somethin' that we don't like, and you'll be-" But his threat was silenced by a hard right.

"_Look, you stupid little bastards, I'm only gonna say this once..."_ He began in Korean, his voice irate and low with his hair blocking his petrifying glare. The leader attempted to kick Yong-Hwa in the cheek but hit nothing but air as Yong-Hwa's foot lifted him off the ground. Needless to say, this caused a scene. Gaining him a lot of attention he didn't want, especially Joe's, whose suspicions were only getting stronger. Baek mentally cursed at himself, of all the moves he used it had to be the mole kick, not his ghost kicks, not Hell's Hook, but the Mole Kick. This only made Yong-Hwa angrier at the thugs for making him do that.

"In case you didn't notice I'm not a nice guy, so SCRAM!" Yong-Hwa spat in a tone that sent cold shivers down the thug's spines. The power of Baek's voice was almost as scary as their boss. Before you could blink, they darted off like their lives depended on it. Yong-Hwa muttered some choice insults in his native tongue and turned his attention towards Silvana, who was sitting down clearly startled. "You alright?" He asked her, offering her his hand which she gratefully accepted.

"I will be, thanks a lot Yong, I owe you one." She replied, her voice soothing Baek's nerves. Yong-Hwa calmed down and went back to work, shrugging off any looks people were giving him. This reminded him of his cousin, who was attending Tekken University and got popular without even really trying. Yong-Hwa smiled at the thought of him, Jae-Hong was a funny guy.

When 9:00 rolled around, Bob offered to take the rest of Yong's shift, which he eagerly accepted so he could get back to Jang-Ha. As Baek walked though, he glanced at Joe Higashi, who had been targeting at him all day. Joe had a feeling that the two of them would meet again, much sooner than either would think.

Yong-Hwa left the club and made his way towards his car. But as Yong-Hwa drove home, the little stunt he pulled had earned him the wrath of the thugs.

???

"What happened this time?" A gruff voice asked sitting behind a chair. The leader of the thugs that Baek Yong-Hwa smacked around stood in front of the desk.

The thug was completely submissive towards the voice of his boss, "We got taken out by some young Korean punk." The mugger answered, his eyes targeting the ground.

"Tch! Typical..." The voice jeered, amazed at how useless his thugs were. The boss was about to dismiss the hoodlum until he got an idea, "What style did the kid use?" He asked the low level.

"Not sure, he seems to be some type of kick boxer though." The thug answered, doing his best to keep his cool. The boss smiled; though it couldn't be seen with his back turned.

"You know you're lucky..." he began, "You've just given me a good idea." He told the thug. The boss turned around in his chair, revealing himself to be the one and only, Geese Howard. Everyone knew who he was; he owned a majority of the city and was the biggest crime lord in Southtown. The thug smiled, thinking he would get a reward. Geese closed his eyes as he brought his hands together, "Do you know where he lives?" He asked again, hoping they weren't as useless as he thought.

The thug nodded, "Yeah, we were able to dig up where he lives, his name, history, the whole nine." He answered, some confidence returning to his voice. The hoodlum was really out to get revenge on the teen, but this only played into his plans.

"Good." Geese replied, "Take Billy and Yamazaki with you Cadao and get out of here." Geese ordered, getting a yes sir out of Cadao following the sound of the door closing. Geese smiled, "I think it's time I took over the sport of kickboxing. Joe's been on top for too long anyway..." Geese muttered to himself. Geese had several reasons for wanting to get this kid; one of them was business, the other was just to get under Terry's skin by harming his friend. Cadao had told him about Yong-Hwa's fight with Higashi, making his plan all the more smooth.

As Cadao walked in the halls, he muttered under his breath, "Yong-Hwa, your ass is mine. When we're done with you I'll get the respect I deserve."

To be cont.

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Next chapter preview: As Baek Yong-Hwa drives home, Geese's and his henchmen head towards his apartment to confront him. What will Yong-Hwa do when Jang-Ha gets involved?

Next Round: The Deal


	3. Round 3: The Deal

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Fatal Fury or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission.

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**Round 3: The Deal**

Strowd Blvd.

A long black limousine made its way through Strowd Blvd. and its destination was Laocorn Heights, Baek's apartment. Inside the limo were several of Geese's henchmen, the underrated Cadao, The staff wielding Billy Kane, the psychotic Ryuji Yamazaki, and last but not least, Geese himself. The trip had been silent for the most part, Billy Kane was listening to his music; Yamazaki was eccentrically staring at Cadao, who was ignoring him and Geese merely sat in the center in his thoughts.

The limousine stopped and the three of them exited the limo. Cadao led the others through the apartment to room 208, seeing that the man up front was too busy on a phone call to notice their presence. They used the elevator to get to the second floor; Cadao swung his head left and right to the catchy elevator music as they ascended. Before they knew it, the henchmen were in front of room 208.

Billy Kane knocked on the door with his staff, smiling when he heard someone's footsteps. Cadao and Yamazaki were ready to subdue Yong-Hwa as they hid beside the door.

"Who is it?" A younger voice asked, making Cadao curse. Yong-Hwa wasn't here yet, instead they had Jang-Ha.

"Is your brother home?" Cadao asked after a heavy sigh. Cadao then came up with an idea.

"No, he's not here yet. What do you want with him anyway?" Jang-Ha asked, a little rudely than he wanted to.

Before he knew it, the door smashed open. If not for his skills, he would have gotten a stick shoved in his gut. "We're here to pick him up." said Geese's right hand man, Billy Kane. A smug Yamazaki chortled at the kid as Billy tapped his staff on his shoulder. Cadao had his head cocked to the side with an eyebrow raised as he examined his little brother. The two had almost nothing in common, (much) different hairstyle, different choice of clothing, etc.

Jang-Ha was mad, not because of Billy's attack, but because they wrecked the door. "You'd better have enough to pay for that!" Jang hollered at Kane, who was staring condescendingly at him. The younger Baek knew that he would probably lose against the three of them, but he wanted to knock that look off of Billy's face before he went down.

Billy laughed at the young Korean's threat, "Or you'll do what, chump?" Billy taunted, underestimating Yong-Hwa's brother. Suddenly, Jang-Ha's foot was speeding towards Billy's head, which he was barely able to block. Billy smirked and was about to taunt the kid some more, but his insult was silenced by his feet being swept off the ground. Jang-Ha had flared him like he did to his older brother yesterday.

"Sonnuva _Bitch!_" Billy swore at the child, ready to tear his head off. But before he could do that, he heard growling coming from his right. Quickly, he shifted his eyes towards the source, and saw that it was their Jindo, Gum. Gum... a cute name for a dog that looked like he was about to slaughter someone.

"Sic 'em!" Jang-Ha ordered, which Gum followed obediently. Billy rose up and rested on his knee, his staff prepared for another strike. However, Gum was kicked hard in his side by Yamazaki, knocking him into the kitchen counter. Jang-Ha was shocked as he saw Gum crumble to the ground, unconscious. Jang stood still for a moment, his dreadlocks hiding his face. Suddenly, Jang-Ha dashed at Yamazaki, barking threats at him in Korean like a madman. Unfortunately, Yamazaki's distraction gave Billy the chance he needed. Before Jang-Ha knew it, the tip of a staff smashed against his head, knocking him out as well.

The last thing he saw was Cadao walk towards him and lifting him up.

10 minutes later

Yong-Hwa was walking in the hallway, making his way to his room. Yong-Hwa was shocked to see Gum walking towards him. 'How did he get out?' The older Baek wondered. When he made his way to his room, he found his answer. His door had been smashed, someone had broken in. Fear swept over Yong-Hwa, he started to call out 'Jang-Ha!' constantly and hoped for a response. Yong-Hwa was praying that his brother was still alive as he desperately searched the rooms for him.

Yong-Hwa was beyond irate; he knew who was responsible for this. Those dirty thugs from the Café were the only people he knew that would do this. Just as he was about to walk out of the door, the phone rang. The brothers didn't get phone calls very often so Baek knew in his gut that this had something to do with Jang-Ha.

Yong-Hwa snatched the phone in his hand, pressing the talk button.

"Greetings Baek Yong-Hwa." said a rough voice.

"Who the hell are you?!" Yong-Hwa demanded, taking note that it sounded like the caller was being driven.

"Now, now, no need for recklessness. Your brother is safe... for now anyway." The voice assured him.

"What do you want?" Yong asked with harshness in his voice.

"Meet me at Southtown Sports Arena in an hour." The man finished, hanging up the phone. Yong-Hwa saw a note beside the phone that said use the back entrance.

Yong-Hwa shot out of the door, jumped into his car and sped towards the arena without a seconds thought.

Southtown Sports Arena 

Yong-Hwa parked his car into the nearest spot, and paced towards the back entrance of the stadium. The Korean soon met with several people, only two of which he knew.

Cadao was staring at him with a smug look, Yamazaki was sneering at him with his arm wrapped around Jang-Ha, Jang-Ha's dreads hid his upper face but it was obvious that he was pissed off, Billy wasn't paying a lot of attention to him as he was too busy listening to his music, and Geese...

"Hm, no gun, no annoying heroic friends attempting a rescue," Geese observed, "My kind of client..." He added with a sinister grin.

"Alright, I'm here, now what do you want?" Yong-Hwa asked again, a little nicer this time so he wouldn't get the same answer.

"It's simple actually. What I want of you is... your fists..." Geese finally answered, his voice slithered up Yong's spine like a snake.

Baek didn't need everything spelled out for him. He knew as well as anyone what Geese wanted. "You want me to defeat Joe Higashi, don't you?" Yong-Hwa guessed.

Geese smirked, "Clever boy... yes." He answered, confirming Yong's answer. "In order to take over the world of kickboxing, I'll need a capable representative. Your skills are uncanny and you were even able to hold your own against Joe in a street fight... which makes you my top candidate." Geese finished, his tone experienced.

"Brother..." Jang-Ha began, surprising everyone by breaking his silence, "You know what they'll do to me if you decline. You've always wanted a shot at the title. You've always wanted to give us a better life..." Jang-Ha closed his eyes, _"You know what you have to do..."_ Jang-Ha told him in his native tongue. Yong-Hwa gave his brother a sad look; he knew what that really meant. Though it would hurt him in many ways, he would do it.

"Alright, I'll do it." Yong-Hwa told his new boss.

Geese responded with a venomous smile, "Perfect..." he slithered, "Your first match is in a month." He told him.

The days before the fight

Baek lay in his bed, far from tired. Yong-Hwa was worried for his brother, hoping for his safety. Gum was whimpering on his strong chest, his gaze asking 'Where's Jang-Ha?' constantly. The older Baek ruffled his dog's furry head, trying to assure him that everything would be fine in the end. Unfortunately, Gum could see through Yong-Hwa's empty promises. Baek knew that this was going to be his greatest obstacle.

The days were lifeless to say the least, and not a day went by where Yong-Hwa wouldn't image Jang-Ha practicing his handstands or doing other activities. Baek's downed attitude was easily readable to his supervisor Bob Wilson, who gave him some time off so he could get himself back together. Yong-Hwa spent most of his time practicing for his upcoming fight, he had to win.

Baek knew that even Geese didn't have enough of a foothold in the sport to have him challenge the champion with no credentials. Yong-Hwa knew he had to win a few good fights in order to move him up the ranks. Thoughts like these swam in Yong Hwa's mind as he drove his foot into the sandbag.

"_Geese, when I'm done with Joe, you're next!"_ He roared with determination.

To be cont.

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Next Chapter Preview: It's Yong-Hwa's debut match and Geese is watching. Will Baek Yong-Hwa come out the victor?

Next Round: The First Match, 27 seconds


	4. Round 4: The First Match, 27 seconds

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fatal Fury or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission.

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**Round 4: The First Match, 27 seconds**

Southtown Sports Arena locker room

Baek sat in the locker room, hyper venerating as he waited for his first match. Yong was wearing white trunks with a blue dragon decoration and trim, and wrapped on his right bicep was a red cloth that belonged to his father. Yong-Hwa smashed his gloved fists together, clearly pumped up for his first fight. Though he hated to admit it, he was excited. Despite who he was fighting for, he couldn't wait to get in there.

Yong-Hwa was also satisfied with the coach he was given, he was an experienced seasoned man. Ironically, he was also there against his will. His name was Benji. Benji sat beside him, giving him a few glances from time to time. To his other left was Eddie, his trainer. Eddie was also experienced, having been were Yong-Hwa was in his earlier years.

Baek knew that he was going to be called on in a few seconds, but it seemed forever to him. Yong-Hwa now believed that people could live a lifetime in a minute.

"Baek Yong-Hwa. It's time." A messenger told him, leaving as soon as he came.

Baek smacked his gloved fists together twice, "Alright, time to win." He told himself, making his coaches smile.

In the ring

A man stood in the center of the ring, ready to announce both fighters, "Ladies and Gentlemen, for our first match of the evening I'd like to introduce from Niigata Japan, wearing green trunks with a gold trim... Jiro Sasaki!!" He exclaimed as the man known as Jiro entered the ring. The young Jiro stood at about 5'10, had a decent built body, long black hair with small bangs tied into a ponytail, and had a confident grin on his face. Sasaki raised his fists in the air, laughing as he saluted the crowd.

Baek could hear the cheers for Jiro as he walked towards the entrance. It seems he had quite a fan base for a newcomer. Yong-Hwa had watched tapes of Jiro's fights, studying his moves and weaknesses. Yong-Hwa saw that he had a flashy style, but a lot of that flare was unnecessary and easy to see through if you were experienced. Yong-Hwa estimated that this fight would end in... 27 seconds.

"And his opponent, wearing the white trunks with a blue dragon trim, I introduce to you... BAEK! YONG!! HWA!!!" The announcer shouted, making the crowd go wild. Yong-Hwa walked out to the ring with pride, his coach and trainer beside him.

Skybox

Above, watching from his skybox, Geese sat in his chair. Geese would be the one to thank for Baek's grand announcement. In the seat next to him was Jang-Ha. Jang-Ha was observing Yong-Hwa's opponent. Jang-Ha glanced at Yong-Hwa, who was returning the look and raised two fingers then seven fingers. Jang-Ha had estimated twenty seven seconds as well. Yong-Hwa confirmed with a nod and jumped into the ring.

Baek Jang-Ha then tilted his head towards Geese, "Hey Mr. Howard," Jang-Ha began, "Wanna make a little wager?" He asked. Geese was humored by his young hostage's attitude towards this whole ordeal. He wasn't like all those girlfriends he kidnapped, who would cry and scream and worry. Jang-Ha just made the most of it, not giving Geese or any of his men any trouble or threats.

"I'm listening..." Geese responded, his eyes slightly ajar.

"I'll bet you 10 bucks that my brother knocks Sasaki out in 27 seconds in the first round." He challenged with a solid voice.

The crime lord of Southtown chortled, since he was so amused by Jang-Ha's behavior he would play in a little deeper, "That's pretty early in a fight, make it twenty and you got a deal." He modified, signaling for one of his lesser henchmen to come over. Geese ordered the man to give him one of his twenty dollar bills. Geese was in a strange playful mood right now.

The younger Baek let out a short laugh, "I'm in." he replied and brought his attention back to the fight.

Back in the ring

Yong-Hwa and Jiro stood in the center of the ring, the two touched gloves for good luck and backed away from each other. The bell rang and the match was underway. Jiro had his hands down and a smile on his face, one that rested between happy and arrogant. Yong-Hwa stayed serious, knowing that this was probably a trick.

Yong-Hwa's assumptions were proven correct when Jiro threw a fast kick towards Yong's side. The older Baek intercepted the kick with his shin and planted a firm one in Jiro's chest, knocking him back. Yong-Hwa saw that 5 seconds had passed. The Korean Kickboxer then watched Jiro closely, whose confidence was starting to emanate. Overconfidence was a fatal error in this type of sport, or in any sport for that matter.

Jiro smiled as he advanced again, throwing several punches and kicks that Yong-Hwa was blocking calmly. Jiro then landed a kick to Yong-Hwa's side, making the KyukTooKi prodigy stumble. As Sasaki grew more certain of victory, Yong-Hwa was smiling inside. His plan was working as he saw that 9 seconds had passed.

Sasaki then made his fatal mistake, he threw a flashy kick. Jiro jumped forward and spun, performing a 360 front kick aimed towards Yong-Hwa's face. Jiro Sasaki was going for the knockout already. In a flash, Yong-Hwa ducked under the kick and sent a hard spinning hook kick towards Jiro's abdomen. The Baek's smiled at the same time, knowing what would happen next. Jiro started to stumble, that one kick did a good deal of damage. 14 seconds had passed.

Yong-Hwa decided that it was time to stop playing around. So he did to Jiro what he did to Jang-Ha during their spars, give him 'that look'. Yong-Hwa's glare bore holes through Jiro, making him nervous. Sasaki, lacking the experience Baek had, attempted to throw a kick towards Yong-Hwa's face. This was a fatal mistake.

Baek gave Jiro a brief smile before he ended the fight. At a blinding speed, Yong-Hwa raised his left foot and kicked down at Jiro's thigh as it rose, making it swing backwards and sending Jiro's upper body downwards. In a swift motion, Baek lifted his right knee and slammed it into Jiro Sasaki's face. Jiro lifted off the ground and crashed to the mat with an echoing thud, the last thing he saw were ceiling lights before he lost consciousness. 19 seconds had passed.

"Game Over." Jang-Ha announced, saying what was on Geese's mind. Geese really didn't care if he lost the bet or not, it wasn't his money anyway. In fact, Geese was hoping for an early knockout so Yong-Hwa could rank higher quicker.

The referee ran over to Jiro and checked for any permanent damage. The referee's inspection took all of six seconds, and two seconds to wave his hands and signal the knockout. 27 seconds into the first round just as promised.

"THE WINNER BY TKO!! BAEK YONG-HWA!!!" The referee exclaimed, pointing his arm towards Yong-Hwa. Baek, remembering who he was, raised one fist in the air to salute the crowd for supporting him. As he got out of the ring, he glanced up at the skybox to give Jang-Ha a nod and a glare at Geese Howard. The crime lord merely smirked off Yong's glare, glad that he still hated him. Hatred made him focused, made him motivated.

"Hey Mr. Howard!" A voice called out, breaking him out of his thoughts. It was Jang-Ha with his hand outstretched, "Can I have my winnings now?" the younger Baek asked, starting to get used to this. Jang-Ha knew these people weren't good, but he would have some fun with them while it lasted.

In the locker room

Yong-Hwa stood alone in the locker room, his red gloves recently removed. His coach and trainer were already gone. Feelings of ambivalence plagued him, he had won the match but doing so was helping Geese. How could he be proud of being a puppet for such a nefarious man? Why did all of this have to happen to him? Unexpectedly, Baek started to chuckle, it was but a low breeze at first but as the seconds past it grew into hearty laughter. Yong-Hwa was laughing at himself, at how screwed he was, having to work for the people he hated, knowing that they might not even let Jang-Ha live after it's all said and done, and how he was going to look like in front of the other fighters in the area.

As Yong-Hwa's laughter died down, he murmured to himself in a forlorn voice, "Please... let everything be alright in the end..."

Suddenly, he heard someone come in. At first he thought it was one of Geese's men and tense, but when he got a look at the guy he relaxed. It was Jiro Sasaki. "That was a nice move back there! Who taught it to you?" Sasaki asked, smiling at the victor.

Baek was a bit confused by Jiro's cheery attitude, "Um... I made it up myself." Yong-Hwa answered, "How's your face by the way? Does it still hurt?" The Korean asked pointing to his face, changing the subject.

Jiro smile widened despite his bandaged face, "Nope, I'm fine. So why so glum?" Jiro asked, noticing Yong-Hwa's despair easily.

Baek let out a sigh and told him everything there was to tell: his parents' deaths, the thugs, his fight with Joe, Jang-Ha's kidnapping, and the deal he made with Geese, everything...

Sasaki had listened and understood everything; he was a compassionate individual, "Hmm, that's tough." He responded in a thoughtful tone. Yong-Hwa only gave him a nod in return. "But remember, I've got your back. That's a promise." Sasaki comforted, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks dude." The Korean responded, finally cracking a true smile.

To be cont.

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Next chapter preview: As Baek Yong-Hwa moves up in the ranks, word spreads about his link with Geese. As Baek predicted, his connection with Geese has earned him the ire of many fighters. To top it all off, one famous fighter crosses his path and challenges him. Also, Jiro's knowledge of Baek's predicament puts him on the grid as well.

Next Round: Targets


	5. Round 5: Targets

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fatal Fury or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission.

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**Round 5: Targets**

Southtown Subway 3:30 PM

On a hot summer day, Baek had to go to the market to buy Gum some dog biscuits. Baek was wearing a white King of Fighters 2003 shirt and blue shorts, a wise choice for hot weather. What was uncommon was that Yong was wearing a white 'Fighter's Generation' cap and Baek never wore hats.

The kickboxer had been winning fights left and right lately, Jiro was the same. The two of them were set up for a rematch down the road, Baek knew it. In this whole mess, Jiro was the only man he trusted. He even told him about what happened between Jang-Ha and the crime lord Geese.

Yong-Hwa was relieved when he made it to the subway was out of the relentless heat, and away from the occasional gossip he had heard about him as he passed by certain people. Baek couldn't help but be ashamed of himself, assisting such a despicable man like Geese. Yes, he was doing it to save Jang-Ha, but still there was no guarantee that they would follow through with their promise.

As Yong-Hwa made his way into the subway train, he saw two familiar faces. One was the legendary Kim Kaphwan, whom Yong-Hwa respected greatly. Kim however, didn't share the same feelings. Baek was greeted with a glare from his idol, making whatever joy he had inside quickly fade away. Kim was wearing his trademark dobok and sitting on the seat in front of Yong. The other man was Terry, who was in a separate car. Terry wasn't paying any attention to him thank goodness, because he would probably be against him as well.

Baek leaned against one of the several poles, ignoring Kim's stare that constantly bore into him. Yong-Hwa knew that Kim was going to do or say something that would lead to conflict, and was racking his brain to find a way around it. Baek noticed that the subway train was slowing down already and there was nothing he could think of. With quiet steps, Yong-Hwa left the train and made his way to the surface, well aware that Kim wasn't far behind.

Alleyways 3:45 PM

Yong-Hwa cursed the sun for being so hot today as he trekked through the alleyways of Southtown. Baek knew that Kim sought to fight him, and no matter what he said or did, it was going to happen. Therefore, to save time, Baek was leading him in the back alleys of the streets away from pedestrians or any other possible interference.

With a burdened sigh, Yong-Hwa spun around in his stance, prepared to fight. Yong-Hwa was in no mood to fight, especially against a man who he idolized, but what choice did he have?

"Aku wa yurusan..." Kim hissed and got into a fighting stance as well, "HAH!" releasing a battle cry.

Baek began to move towards Kim in small steps, cautious with every one. He knew that if he was careless for one second, it would be the end of him. Yong-Hwa's meticulous nature was rewarded as he blocked a lightning fast mid kick from Kim. The kickboxer then jumped back as Kim attempted to sweep him off his feet with a quick left foot.

Kim decided to end this fight quickly; he burst forward at a ready Baek and began throwing a fast barrage of kicks. To Kim's surprise, Yong-Hwa was holding up pretty good, he wasn't the complete hoodlum he thought he was. Regardless, anyone who worked with Geese was an enemy of Kim's.

Baek's defenses were beginning to crumble under the constant pressure being put on by constant strikes. Yong-Hwa knew it was risky, but since he hadn't revealed this technique yet, it might unbalance his worthy adversary. As soon as Kim brought his foot back, Baek, with all of his speed, sent his foot towards Kim's head. Before Kim could move out of the way, the kickboxer bent his foot so it would wrap around Kim's head.

The Taekwondo master feared the worst; he was in a good position to get his neck broken. Though these fears were unnecessary, to Kim's surprise, Yong-Hwa merely yanked him away to get some distance between them. This further changed Kim's opinion of the would-be criminal, if he were truly bad he would have taken advantage of that opportunity.

Inquisitive, Kim had to ask, "Why do you work for an immoral man like Geese?" his tone that of an authority figure. Despite Baek's actions, Kim couldn't bring himself to trust him. The Taekwondo master then took a closer look at Baek's posture. Underneath the brim of his cap, he saw a disgraced frown.

"I-" Baek was barely able to utter.

"Hey!"

Baek and Kim turned to the direction of the voice, Kim smiled and Baek cringed. The legendary Terry Bogard was resting against the wall, watching the two battle. In the back of Yong-Hwa's mouth he could taste the shame of his actions. A few weeks ago he was working at the Pao Pao Café; he loved his job and his co-workers. Now, he was a miserable lap dog for a crime boss. Yong-Hwa wanted to tell them what was happening, but a prior threat to tear the flesh off of Jang-Ha's bones made him think twice.

"You were working at the Café right?" Terry asked with his gaze directly on Yong-Hwa. Terry was less judgmental of Yong-Hwa than Kim, such a drastic change was a little too out of the ordinary. Terry had figured that when Yong-Hwa beat up Geese's thugs, they must have blackmailed him or something. He didn't have all the details, but judging by his attitude towards fighting Kim, he could tell his heart was not in the fight.

Baek Yong-Hwa could only muster a nod. He was glad his hat veiled the pitiful look on his face.

"Then why are you doing this? What does Geese have on you?" Terry asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

Baek's voice was coated in regret of his actions, "I can't tell you. If I do they'll-"

"They'll what?!" Another voice exclaimed, making Baek flinch once again. Of all the people in the world, Cadao had to show up. However, Cadao stood on a nearby fire escape, not wanting to risk a fight with the two legends on the street. "You're not thinkin' of telling are you? If you do, then I'm afraid all bets will be off." The thug warned. Though Yong-Hwa had his back turned towards him, he could tell by the tone of his voice what look he was giving him, the condescending stare.

Baek had had enough of this, Gum was probably starving by now, _"I'm outta here, I've got to feed my dog."_ He said in his native tongue, barely audible with only one man among them that understood what he had said. With that said, Baek turned around and walked away, completely ignoring Cadao as if he were nothing.

Offended, Cadao hissed under his breath, "I can't wait to kill you when this is over…"

As Yong Hwa walked away, he remembered that he had promised Jiro that he would watch his match tonight.

Geese's Office 6:37 PM

Geese sat in his armchair, smoking an expensive cigar, enjoying the flavor. Standing beside him was Cadao, who was wearing his white dress jacket, black dress shirt, with some… blue baggy pants. "It's a good thing you warned me about this Cadao. We can't have anyone getting wise to our little scheme…" He stated, blowing out a puff of smoke soon afterwards, "So… this is the guy you were able to find huh? Is he as good as you say?" He inquired.

Cadao nodded, slicking back his black hair, "Oh yes, our client here is an old friend of mine who-"

"I didn't ask you about your relationship with him. I asked is he any good?" Geese interrupted, not in the mood to listen to some superfluous rambling.

Sitting on the other side of his desk, a man placed a small stack of papers in front of Geese. Taking interest, Geese skimmed over what was written, and from the words that were used, he liked what he was reading. "And what's this?" He asked rhetorically.

"My credentials…" The man replied simply.

"Kou Hayashi… banned from the Japanese Circuit due to viciously beating his opponent to death…" Geese paraphrased, "Here's the deal. When you face your opponent tonight, you beat him severely. Don't kill him, but be sure that you put him in the hospital. If you defeat your next opponent, you will be sponsored by me and given a high position of power and wealth when you defeat the champion. Do we have a deal?"

Kou Hayashi sneered, "Deal."

Southtown Sports Arena locker room 7:55 PM

Outside of the locker room, you could hear the shouts of Jiro Sasaki and the booming sounds of kicks landing against a bag. Inside, Baek was holding the bag steady, sometimes flinching from the hard kicks Jiro was throwing. Jiro was really vivacious about this fight, he really wanted to rise up in the ranks and earn a rematch with Baek.

Sasaki let out a short laugh, "Man I can't wait to get in there!" He exclaimed as he threw a few more kicks and a knee strike, "I tell ya, that guy won't know what hit him!" He added, stopping his assault on the pad and jumping left and right. Jiro was psyched about the upcoming match, he was positive he would come out the victor today. Jiro's long hair flowed freely with every jump, making Baek envious of the freedom Sasaki constantly experienced.

Despite Yong-Hwa's earlier encounter, something about Jiro's attitude raised his spirits. Sasaki began to punch the air with his gloved fists, "So what's my opponent's name?" he asked in between a right hook and a left jab.

The Korean shrugged, "I don't know, some guy named Kou. I haven't seen him in action before so I can't give you any advice on how to win." He answered with honesty. A moment later, Jiro was called to the ring.

"Alright!" Jiro shouted, and rushed out the door. Baek could only shake his head, _'what a guy… what a guy…'_

In the ring

As Baek made his way ringside, the announcer was just about to call Jiro out.

"Wearing white trunks with a red trim… Jiro Sasaki!"

When Jiro's music boomed throughout the arena, Baek immediately started thinking of Jang-Ha. Jiro's theme music sounded like something that his younger brother would B-boy to. It was catchy tune, and Jiro's dash to the ring only made the crowd love it more. Jumping into the ring, he could hear Jiro shouting 'Let's do it!' as he punched his gloves together.

"And making his debut, wearing the black trunks with the white trim... KOU HAYASHIIII!"

Out from the entrance, a man in a black robe strode in an ominous manner. His theme sounded like something you would hear in Hell (Slayer – Angel of Death), and the crowd loved it.

As Kou stepped into the ring and removed his cloak, Jiro felt his heart skip a beat. To call Hayashi intimidating was putting it mildly, he was pale, hair was mid length and unkempt, had a strong build, and several tattoos with each of them having at least one reference with death. Kou's gaze was just as penetrating; he had a somewhat dark outline under his eyes, and his pupils were a bit smaller than the norm. What kept him in this class was that he was only 5'8'', an inch shorter than Baek.

Despite these daunting factors, Jiro remained confident, thinking about what Baek would say. _'Never show that you're afraid of your opponent.'_ He recalled him saying, _'And don't let frustration get to you. It'll only get you beaten faster.'_ Jiro repeated in his head as he walked towards the center of the ring.

Jiro locked eyes with threatening adversary, his bravery apparent. He was lucky that Kou was shorter than he was, or else it would have been much scarier. Jiro mentally prepared himself as the ref recited the rules, which Jiro usually didn't pay much attention to since he already knew them. When the ref told them to meet gloves, Kou slammed his fists down hard on Sasaki's gloves, glad that they hardly moved. That was his way of testing how long Jiro would endure. Just from this he could tell that Jiro could endure a lot of suffering, which was great news to Kou because he hated it when his opponents broke too early, ruined all the entertainment.

As the two fighters waited in the corner, Jiro watched the clock regulate itself, counting down the seconds until the bell rang. Suddenly he felt his coach nudge him, breaking him away from his focus, and signaled for him to open his mouth as he placed his mouthpiece in. Immediately after, the bell rang and the show began.

Jiro paced around Kou, taking Yong-Hwa's tactics of wearing his opponent down slowly. Sasaki had a grin on his face, while Kou was staring at him intently. Jiro sent a quick kick towards Kou's side, which was intercepted by Kou's thigh. Sasaki began to tap his foot on the ground to get his sense of rhythm going, however Kou would make sure he wouldn't have the opportunity.

It was at that moment that the fight became an execution. Catching everyone by surprise, Kou unleashed a hellish kick that broke Jiro's guard and sent him against the ropes. Kou advanced on the temporarily stunned Jiro, taking advantage of the situation. Kou sent a lightning fast knee strike to Jiro's gut, causing him to nearly spit out his mouthpiece due to the pain.

That last attack caused Baek to cringe. He wasn't expecting things to turn so bad so quick. But there was nothing he could do but hope that Jiro made a comeback and lasted through the round.

Luckily for Baek, Jiro wasn't about to go out that easily. Moving his mouthpiece back in place, Jiro countered with an elbow strike to Kou's cheek, creating some distance between them. Jiro quickly followed up with a strong kick to the sternum, trying to unbalance his intimidating foe. Much to Jiro's surprise, Kou had a sick sneer on his face. He seemed to derive a sick pleasure from Sasaki's attempts to hurt him.

Despite how grim things seemed, Jiro kept a level head. Jiro had to decide how he was going to fight, offense or defense? Kou was an inconsistent fighter, didn't have much of a tempo to go by, which made fighting him that much more difficult. So he would have to play it smart if he was going to win.

Hayashi eased towards Sasaki, a chortle exiting his mouth. Instead of backing against the ropes, Jiro advanced as well, trying to transfer the pressure to Kou. In unison, The Japanese kickboxers sent high kicks to each other's face. Jiro took a kick to the cheek, making his head swing back. Jiro's kick landed on Kou's neck, which actually made him stagger a bit.

Jiro saw that the round was far from over, so he would have to be in control for most of the round. Sasaki quickly regained his fighting posture and sent a fast kick towards Kou's left shin. Kou retaliated with a straight jab to Jiro's mouth. The energetic Sasaki ignored the pain in his lips and motioned a high kick towards Kou. Arrogantly, Kou dodged and tried to advance. Hayashi fell for the feint.

Before Kou realized it, he felt his chin lift up and he was on the ground. Glancing at Jiro, he saw some of his blood on Sasaki's raised elbow. Now, Hayashi was mad. Waiting until the count of six, Kou jumped up with rage in his eyes and his teeth gritted, Sasaki was proving to be a nuisance.

One minute remained and neither of them had a clear advantage. Hayashi was ruminating for a strategy that would work. Jiro was fast, but he noticed that he never punched. Maybe his punches were weaker than his kicks? Kou had little time so he decided to run with that. Before Jiro could go on the offensive, Hayashi began to send several fast kicks to his legs, attacking both thighs and shins. By forcing Jiro to punch, he would find out just how strong they were.

Sasaki began to wince in pain every time Kou landed one of his kicks. Unable to use his legs, Jiro threw a left hook towards Kou's cheek. Jiro's punches were decent, but they weren't as strong as his kicks, which would ultimately be his downfall.

Geese's Skybox

Geese sat in his expensive arm chair, observing the fight with interest. He had to admit, Kou had potential to be a good underling. "So Jang-Ha, how's the fight?" Geese called to the boy sitting at his right. Hard to believe, Geese was actually growing accustomed to his little hostage. Jang did what he was told, he didn't scream or bite, and he wasn't afraid of Howard. It was amazing that a child was able to overcome a fear that hardened criminals could not.

The younger Baek tilted his head and gave Geese an average look, "Kou's gonna win. Even I can tell that Jiro's gonna screw up somewhere…" He answered honestly. Jang-Ha was aware of Sasaki and his brother's friendship, because that was the reason this whole match was taking place. Yong was telling Jiro some things about the deal and luckily, Jang-Ha convinced Geese not to have Sasaki killed.

In fact, that was the main reason he was being so obedient and easy. He wanted to have a subtle play of power in Geese's decisions. That was the only method Jang-Ha knew would work, deception. By acting like Geese had an influence on him, he would try to mold him into something of a protégé, leading to a bit of trust. However, if Geese ever got wise to this, Jang-Ha would probably be killed on the spot.

Geese smirked at Jang-Ha's cold attitude, "Heh, I knew you were going to say something like that." He commented as he took a long draw on his cigar. Taking a second glance at him, he noticed just how poor the young Korean's condition was. Clothes were wrinkled, body was dirty, and he had dark circles under his eyes due to lack of sleep. "You keep behaving like this, and I might have you cleaned up a bit." He added, his voice showing nothing but indifference.

Suddenly, the bell sounded and they turned their attention back on the fight. Jang-Ha was nearly startled at the sight.

Back in the ring

Kou stood in his corner, not even bothering to sit down. A murderous glare was fixed in his eyes and targeted towards the other side of the ring.

Jiro looked like he had been through hell. Bruises, blood, left eye was swollen. In short, he was a mess. But Sasaki rejected any offers to quit, saying that he had a bit more fight in him left. Baek would have protested, but something inside him support Jiro regardless. After drinking some water and spitting out the remnants of blood in his mouth, Jang-Ha put in his mouthpiece and the bell sounded.

A disturbing silence hung across the stadium, the crowd was in utter suspense. Would Sasaki make a comeback? Or would he get KO'd by the newcomer Hayashi?

Jiro's legs ached, half of his vision was blurred, but he was determined. Kou began to stride towards Jiro with a horrifying look on his face, like a snake advancing on a helpless rat. Sasaki decided it was time to stop fighting like Baek, and stay true to his own essence. When Kou got within distance, Sasaki thrust towards him and sent his knee hurtling towards Hayashi's face.

The crowd exploded with cheers as Hayashi stumbled back; Jiro's spirit had come alive again. As Sasaki tapped his foot on the ground to get his rhythm going, the crowd followed chanting 'JI-RO!' to help support their idol.

Hayashi was at wits end with this, Jiro was on his last legs and he just pulls this out of nowhere. Kou felt like he was watching some stupid animated movie or something. You know, the ones where the protagonist takes an atrocious beating that any real man would die from and he somehow beats the villain who's still in good shape. Kou hated those unrealistic flicks, and he wasn't going allow this event to breed another one. ((Kou has some strange thoughts…))

Allowing all his bottled rage to seep, Kou advanced on Jiro like a madman. Every blow that Sasaki landed on Kou, he bit through the pain. Hayashi struck Jiro again and again with punishing blows. Kou was moving on pure adrenaline now, and Sasaki was nearly empty. The situation was becoming so bad that the referee had to step in between the two and risk getting hit just to separate them.

The crowd looked on in shock as Jiro stood on shaky legs, his fighting stance fragile and his hair disheveled. Even Sasaki knew it was over at this point. But before he went down, Jiro gave Yong one last glance and shot him an 'I did my best' smile. Baek hadn't been so close to crying since his parents died.

Kou merely scoffed as he saw the two of them gazing at each other. This drama had drawn out long enough. With no remorse, Hayashi advanced and heavy hook kick to Jiro's head, sending him down to the mat, sprawled out like an angel.

But before the referee could check on Sasaki, Hayashi jumped up and stomped on Jiro's abdomen, making him spit blood into the air. The audience was shocked at that violent strike. The referee was appalled and scolded Kou for his disgraceful act. Kou feigned an apologetic expression and backed into his corner. Sasaki was unable to continue and Kou had won the match.

Baek was one of the first people to examine the defeated Jiro. He was badly injured and needed medical attention immediately. Yong-Hwa knelt next to Jiro as he was placed on a stretcher carried away. Deep down, Baek couldn't help but blame himself for this no matter how much he wanted to blame Geese and Kou. However, he wouldn't have the chance to dwell on this sorrow for long…

"_Hey loser!"_ Kou shouted towards the quietly grieving Yong-Hwa. Hayashi's voice was full of twisted joy.

"_Don't pay to be your friend huh?" _Kou taunted. This was a grave mistake.

Before he knew it, Hayashi was tackled to the ground by Baek, earning a few fist blows before security pulled them apart. As Baek was being removed from the ring, he shouted hellish death threats at Kou in Korean. Hayashi's comprehension wasn't the best, but he was able to understand that one about Baek _'Killing his every living blood relative and drawing his suicide note in his own blood'_.

Hayashi licked his lips and let out a hideous laugh of anticipation.

Geese's Skybox 

From the skybox, the crime lord watched the show with amusement. Now Geese couldn't wait to match those two up together for a match with Joe Higashi. Taking his attention towards the younger Baek, he saw that his hostage seemed a bit happy.

"Well Jang-Ha, what did you think of that?" Geese asked, cigar in his mouth.

"Enjoy having Kou around while you can…" Jang-Ha responded, arousing the crime lord's curiosity.

"Oh, what makes you say that?" Geese questioned again.

Jang's smile then turned into a scowl, "Because, from what I just saw, his days as a fighter are limited…" Jang-Ha answered with a dead serious tone of voice.

To be cont.

--

Next Chapter Preview: After Jiro's beating, Yong-Hwa trains intensely with rage as his fuel, as Kou is his next opponent. With Jiro in the Hospital, Baek feels lonely in the locker room at the Sports Arena before the fight. As Baek enters the ring, he sees the champion Joe Higashi is sitting in the front row. Kou stands in the opposite corner with a wry grin on his face. Will Yong-Hwa defeat this vicious adversary?

Next Chapter: A Bloodstained Victory


	6. Round 6: A Blood Stained Victory

Brothers of Southtown

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the King of Fighters or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission.

Note: Shura is the Muay Thai fighter from World Heroes 2 and the property of SNK Playmore.

--

**Round 6: A Blood Stained Victory**

Fighting Out Gym 2:56 PM

In an old gym, the sound of kicks landing and grunts echoed throughout the structure. Inside the ring, Yong-Hwa mercilessly attacked his sparring partner; he had gone through 2 already and they didn't last a minute. But this guy was a bit more experienced than the other two. Baek's opponent was a young Muay Thai fighter named Shura from Thailand. Although Shura was sporting his lucky yellow trunks and leggings; he was clearly no match for Baek Yong-Hwa.

Rage fueled Baek's strikes as Shura crumbled to the canvas from a hard right. Yong had been training intensely for his upcoming match, becoming faster and stronger. Spectators were in awe at Baek's prowess and the number of challengers began to decline after watching Shura's dismantlement. Content with his workout, Baek started to leave the ring, until he heard someone else get in the ring.

"Going so soon?" asked the new challenger with a jeering tone. The voice was gruff and the accent was foreign to the Korean kickboxer. Curious, Baek turned around to get a better look at his new opponent, and saw the most unique person in his life. From first looks the man seemed to be Native American, had white hair tied into a bizarre ponytail, and blue and white tattoos on his arms and back.

Adjusting his blue trimmed white trunks, the boxer punched his blue gloved fists together twice before assuming his stance. "The name's Rick Strowd." He introduced bluntly.

"Baek, Baek Yong-Hwa." The Korean replied, easing into an offense posture. Baek watched as Rick began to bounce around the ring, switching his boxing style spontaneously. It was a clever strategy to use when fighting someone who's unfamiliar to you.

But when Baek took a step forward, Rick advanced in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, Baek was forced to defend against a rainfall of punches. Furious, Baek sent a fast kick to Rick's chest just to create some distance. The young kickboxer was fighting with anger, while Strowd was fighting with cunning. The advantage was obvious.

"It's not your fighting style, it's your attitude." Rick informed his younger adversary. The boxer could see that Yong-Hwa was a skilled adversary, but his anger was holding him back.

Fortunately, Yong-Hwa took the advice to heart. Instead of letting his hatred of Kou get the better of him, he changed his thoughts to Jang-Ha. As he thought of his younger brother, he started to play one of his favorite break-beats in his head. As he did so, Baek began to tap his foot to the silent melody, developing a tempo himself to combat Rick's.

The two circled around the ring, staring intently at one another. This was no longer a spar. It was going to be a match to remember!

Geese Tower 7:22 PM

In one of the higher levels of Geese's infamous skyscraper, resided the captive Jang-Ha and Cadao. The room was pretty standard, like the average hotel room of a respectable company. Jang-Ha couldn't complain though, he was expecting a dungeon and fellow hostages. Needless to say, the younger Baek was a mess, his clothes were wrinkled and his scent sour, he wasn't trusted with much. However, he didn't try to escape like so many of Geese's prior hostages. Instead, he took advantage of the situation.

Since Jang-Ha matured fast due to his parents' demise, he didn't get on anyone's nerves and knew what to say and when to say it. In fact, he was able to persuade Geese not to kill Jiro, which amazed even Geese's top henchmen. Even Cadao kind of liked the kid deep down; his company certainly beat the alternative. By alternative he meant Yamazaki's death threats and Billy's insults.

"Yo Cadao," The young captive called out, getting his attention, "how did you end up working for Geese anyway?" he asked. The real reason behind this was to cause some dissention within Howard's ranks. Ya know, just in case he tried an escape and had to get by him to do it.

The thug responded with dull eyes and asked him, "Why do you wanna know?"

"Oh, just to kill the time before the fight." Jang-Ha answered truthfully.

The Vietnamese fighter bowed his head, he would answer Jang's question. "I had a bad relationship with my parents, they were suffocating my freedom. So I left took some money and hitchhiked here…" He was embarrassed by his origin tale; it made him look like such a dork.

"Then…" Cadao picked up, trying to regain his bad guy image, "when I was out of money, I came across Geese's thugs and well… one thing led to another and now I'm in one of the higher spots." Cadao skipped over the horrible things that he did to get ahead, and how those changed him.

Jang-Ha nodded his head, understanding Cadao's situation well enough to assume a few things. "Lemme guess, you had to beat up a bunch of people, abduct people, and had to showoff how bad you were by picking fights with your own thugs. Am I right?" Questioned the boy, the assured nature of his tone revealed how confident he was with his assumptions.

Cadao was taken aback, "More or less, yeah…" he blurted. The lead thug then put his hands in the pockets of his brown baggy jeans and rested against the wall.

The younger Baek looked into Cadao's eyes and asked, "Are you… happy about where you are?"

Cadao chortled, "Don't try to befriend me kid. I'm happy being a thug and I'm not gonna change…" he told Jang-Ha and left the room, tired of speaking with him. But that last question struck a nerve inside of him, and as he left, a small clever grin crept on the boy's mouth.

Southtown Graveyard 8:06 PM

'_Baek Ji-Sung & Baek Seo-Jin. Two souls that left too soon…'_

"If only… we took the shortcut home…" Baek lamented as he placed fresh flowers on the tombstone. For the first time in his life, Yong-Hwa felt alone, his brother was gone, Jiro was in the hospital, and he was ostracized and confronted by people whom he respected. All Baek had now, was the symbol on his chest, Courage, the ability to keep moving forward even though you're scared. But Yong-Hwa wasn't the only one here…

From afar, Terry Bogard watched the sad moment with sympathy. Yong-Hwa was enduring so much, and there was no one there to help him. Terry saw the match between Jiro and Kou, he was sure that it was Geese's way of telling him, 'You're under _my_ thumb, boy'. Placing his hands in his brown bomber jacket, Terry made his way towards the sad figure of Baek.

"Hey dude." Terry greeted, his voice lacking the threatening pitch that Baek was familiar with.

Yong hung his head in sadness, "What do you want to tell me?" he asked, already aware that Terry felt sorry for him. Baek was able to clearly see the subtle behaviors of people, tone of voice, posture, and things of that nature.

Surprised, Terry decided to just skip to the point. "I just want you to know that I'll be watching tonight, and cheering you on." He then gave him a nudge with his fist, "Good luck and…" Terry started to walk away, "… I'll be there for ya when you need me..."

Yong-Hwa placed his hands in his pockets and turned in the opposite direction, "Thanks Terry…" he said just loud enough for the legendary Lone Wolf to hear.

In the Ring 9:17 PM

The Southtown Sports Gymnasium was packed. It looked as if the entire city was there. In the skybox, Geese Howard sat, surrounded by bodyguards of course, and Jang-Ha sat next to him eating some popcorn. Billy Kane was resting against the wall in overalls and Cadao was sharing/stealing Jang-Ha's popcorn. Yamazaki was there as well, but that was because Jang-Ha said that his brother was gonna make Kou bleed all over the ring. Needless to say, that appealed to his sadistic pleasures...

At ringside sat the Muay Thai Champion, Joe Higashi. Joe was intrigued by the promos and hype this fight was getting in the media and decided to check it out. That and he knew that Baek was the guy he got into that scrap with in the alley months ago.

In the audience were some of Joe's closest friends: Andy Bogard, along with his girl, Mai Shiranui, the Sakazaki family, as well as Robert Garcia and King, Duck King, Lilly Kane who snuck in without Billy knowing, and Terry who was sitting on the opposite side of the ring from the rest.

After all the build up, it was time for the announcer to introduce the fighters, "And now, please welcome... wearing the wearing the black trunks with the skull trim... The Fighter from Hell! KOU HAYASHIIII!"

A mixture of boos and cheers echoed throughout the stadium, and the opening riffs of Kou's theme music hummed throughout the building. As the riffs picked up, Kou crept out of the entrance wearing a black robe that was covered in blood.

_An unforeseen future nestled somewhere in time.  
Unsuspecting victims no warnings, no signs.  
Judgment day the second coming arrives.  
Before you see the light you must die!!_

Slayer - South of Heaven

Wasting no time, Kou slid through the ropes and rose to his feet. Removing the bloody robe, Kou strode over to the side of the ring, giving Joe an arrogant look before he turned around. Joe responded with a snort, as far as he was concerned, Kou was more show than go. As Kou's theme died down, the announcer prepared to introduce his opponent.

"And his opponent," continued the announcer, "wearing the white trunks with the red dragon trim… BAEK! YONG!! HWA!!"

A fast and consistent hard rock tempo blazed through the stadium as Baek Yong-Hwa walked quickly to the ring. Baek's loose robe flowed parallel to the ground as he rushed. He was doing his best to maintain his composure until the bell rang. He was going to make Kou suffer for sending Jiro to the hospital. The urges had been tearing him apart inside ever since that day.

_I'd kill myself to see you die!  
As you suffer, tears of joy come to my eyes!_

You know my name, yeah you know who I am  
Frustrated turmoil again and again  
I am the spike which drives through your hand  
For I am eternal, battering ram!

Black Label Society - Battering Ram

In Geese's skybox, Billy commented, "Well, at least they both got good taste in music!" enjoying both songs.

Gracefully, Baek hopped over the top rope, ready to go. He wore the white and red trunks as a tribute to his good friend Jiro Sasaki. Taking a brief moment to look at the big crowd that showed up, he gave a strong salute to show his appreciation. So he did have a fan base afterall. As his eyes skimmed the crowd, he noticed Joe staring at him and giving him an arrogant smirk, this only upset Baek more. Forcing his gaze away from the supercilious champion, he noticed Terry giving him thumbs up and cheering him on. Baek gave him a small smile and bowed his head, humbled and grateful for the gesture.

Kou stared at Baek with disgust, he was gonna enjoy beating him half to death. And knowing that whoever lost would be dropped from the ticket and all their benefits lost, well, it was just icing on the cake for Hayashi.

As the ref called them to the circle, Baek's bangs slightly veiled his eyes. Trying to get a scare out of him, Kou glared holes at his opponent. Baek wasn't focusing on him, so Kou snorted and glanced to the side for a second. The minute his eyes went back to Baek, he jumped in shock. Baek was glaring holes through him and tearing his soul apart. Who'd a thought such a soft spoken guy could look so intimidating?

In the skybox above, Jang-Ha chortled and blurted, "Never fails!" causing everyone in the box to raise an eyebrow in his direction.

As the ref ordered them to go to their respective corners, Baek and Kou never turned their backs or took their eyes off each other.

A few seconds seemed like forever as they waited for the belt, Baek and Kou were all set. Yong-Hwa began to shake in anger, just the thought of seeing Jiro in the hospital set him off. He knew he was watching, and he would make him proud tonight by being the victor.

The second the bell rang, it wasn't a fight for Kou… but an execution…

Baek and Hayashi dashed out of their corners, both going for the first strike. Baek suddenly jumped and slammed his knee into Kou's face. As the Japanese kickboxer stumbled back, Yong-Hwa launched several kicks to his legs, aiming for the knees and shins. That was a move Baek liked to call his, Ghost Kicks. Baek's feet were like steel, and being fueled by rage only made them faster and stronger.

Though Kou managed to counter with an elbow strike, the damage had already been done. His legs were in bad shape, every step sent pain through them. Kou tried to answer with a flurry of punches, but Baek managed to avoid and block most of them, and those that landed he just shrugged off. Putting his entire body into a punch aimed for Baek's throat, the Korean kickboxer parried the strike and left Kou wide open.

Strangely, Baek began to bob and weave which was something he's never done in a match before. Somewhere in the audience, a certain Indigenous boxer smiled. Suddenly, Baek unleashed a fast combination of punches following a swift drop, three jabs to the abdomen, five strikes to the chest, downward elbow strikes to both shoulders, and followed up with a firm kick to the sternum which sent the now bleeding Kou against the ropes. Coincidently, Kou landed against the side of the ring Joe was facing.

Deciding to send Higashi a message in the process, Yong-Hwa dashed towards the already beaten Hayashi and leaned low to the mat. Twisting his body, Baek flung his foot into Kou's chin launching him in the air and sent him out of the ring and onto the cold floor. Hayashi was knocked out, and the match was over.

The crowd was silenced by the bloody display they had witnessed. Baek was stained in Hayashi's blood as well as the canvas. The match didn't even last one round, and Baek was locking eyes with the Muay Thai champion, Joe Higashi.

Impressed by the performance, Joe rose to his feet and gestured for a microphone. As soon as he got one, he licked his dry lips and started, "That was a great fight Baek, pretty good combination of frustration and skill ya got there." He took a minute to look at Kou, who was about to be escorted away on a stretcher, "But let's see how good you are when up against an opponent who can actually fight back!" Joe challenged, appeasing just about everyone in the audience. With that said, Joe tossed Baek the microphone for his answer.

Baek, gloves already removed, caught the mic with ease. "You're on! I've been waiting to finish what we started!" he accepted, causing the cloud to roar in anticipation. Terry actually found himself unsure on who to support.

Geese's skybox

"I told you my brother would make him bleed!" Jang-Ha called out to Yamazaki, who was nodding his head with his tongue sticking out. Yamazaki enjoyed the show more than Jang did. Cadao on the other hand, lost a lot of his motivation to fight Yong-Hwa after watching that annihilation. Yeah, Hayashi was his friend but, he didn't want to suffer the same fate.

But on the inside, Baek Jang-Ha just wanted to go home, he missed his old apartment, he missed Gum, Duck King, and most of all, he missed Yong. He was tired of being inside all the time, constantly being monitored. But the younger Baek had a plan, a plan to escape. He just needed to find a candidate dumb enough to escape. Ripper and Hopper (Geese's two primary thugs) were out of the question, Yamazaki would probably kill him and do unspeakable things to his corpse, Cadao was too clever, and Billy Kane well… he was pretty distracted by his music most of the time. Jang-Ha decided that Billy would be the best choice…

Geese couldn't help but laugh at his thoughts, the ideas of the power and money he'd have when Baek became champion were a luxury. However, he had no intention of fulfilling his promise to Baek to free his brother. If he did, there would be nothing maintaining Yong-Hwa's commitment. And what was more frightening, Geese saw that Yong-Hwa and Terry Bogard were becoming friends. The crime lord knew what would eventually happen and he would have to prevent it form becoming a problem...

To be cont.

--

Next Chapter Preview: Jiro makes a full recovery and leaves the hospital, as he goes to the store, he sees Baek and they have a short discussion about Jang-Ha. As they talk about him, Duck King overhears and asks Yong where his favorite student has gone. Later, Baek meets Higashi on the street which leads to an interesting conversation. As the day of the fight nears, the Baek brothers plan their escapes from the crime lord, Geese Howard.

Next Chapter: Calm before the Storm


	7. Round 7: Calm before the storm

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the King of Fighters or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission.

Note: It's been awhile.

----

**Round 7: Calm before the storm**

Two days before the fight: Rob's Groceries 3:21 PM

Ready for his upcoming match, Baek strolled through the isles of the convenience store. His eyes searched the stocked shelves for nutritious products—and maybe some peppermints. Yong placed his hands in the pockets of his black pants and hummed a tune. But as he silently sang, a familiar face followed behind him and gave him a light kick to the butt.

Annoyed, the kickboxer turned sharply and met with surprise. "Jiro!" Yong exclaimed with joy. He was sure it was him, but his hair was cut to mid length.

Jiro smiled and gave the peace sign, "Yo, saw the beating you gave Kou," He stated in a voice that Baek missed dearly, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. But what are you going to do when you have to go up against Joe? He's been on top for quite awhile ya know?" asked Sasaki, folding his arms and cocking his head to the side.

Baek took a quick look around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Geese's henchmen had a penchant for following him, "I'm gonna take his arrogance and use that against him. He tends to lose focus when he's cocky an-"

"Whassup ya'll!"

From out of nowhere, a man with a large blonde & blue Mohawk wrapped his arms around the two kickboxers.

"Hey Duck, good to see you." Baek greeted, having a feeling that he already knew about Jang-Ha's kidnapping. It was kind of obvious at this point, since Jang-Ha came by every week and he hasn't been there for months.

"So how are we gonna get back my favorite B-boy huh?" The breaker asked with a clever grin on his face. Yong-Hwa smiled, so he did know.

Geese Tower 5:50 PM 

Jang-Ha practiced his moves in his room/cell, Cadao watched in awe as he performed his fancy footwork and gymnastics. _'The kid's a beast'_ Cadao thought as the young dancer swung his lower body around weightlessly. The thug had given Jang-Ha a new set of clothes, which was just a brown tank top with some cargo pants and a hat. Still, Jang was grateful for it, he said that now he looked like B-boy Blond from some commercial. Cadao made a mental note to look that up on YouTube when he had some spare time.

Yamazaki was out doing a business deal, and Billy was with Geese. Cadao spent more time with Jang-Ha than anyone else, and honestly, he liked the kid. Cadao didn't want to think about what would happen when Geese's plan came to fruition. What would he do to Jang-Ha and his brother when it was over? He knew Geese wouldn't let Yong and Jang go after this, not with the effort he's put into this.

As Cadao pondered his options, Jang walked over to him, his hands in his pockets. The thug glanced at him and smirked, "Hat suits ya punk." He complemented in his own way.

Surprisingly, the younger Baek gave him a serious expression, "After the fight, what are you going to do to my brother?" he asked. Jang-Ha wasn't sugar coating, he wanted a straight answer.

A frown stained Cadao's face; he would have to come clean with Jang-Ha. "I don't know, he might keep you captive, he might kill you, or he might set you free," those were the three possibilities, "you didn't ask for any of this crap, I'm sorry you got dragged into this mess." The henchman was no fool; he knew this meant escape to Jang-Ha. In all honesty, he couldn't blame him. Since Geese's influence spread throughout this city, where would they hide if they did escape?

"Love the life you live…" Jang-Ha suddenly sang, "So you can live the life you love."

"What?" asked Cadao, being torn away from his thoughts.

"Love The Life You Live by Black Heat. It's my favorite song to break to." explained the captive Baek while playing the track in his head as he did so. That song really brightened his mood whenever he was feeling down, and he was hoping it would do the same now.

Cadao let out an exhausted sigh; he certainly had enough to ponder on until fight night. "Well, later boogie brat." He muttered to Jang-Ha before he walked out the door.

Alone, Jang-Ha played the song over and over in order to suppress the thoughts of his parents. As long as he never thought about it, it didn't happen. As he hummed, the younger brother had to fight back a tear. He had already lost his mother and father; he didn't want to lose his only brother too.

Two days before the fight: Strowd Blvd. 6:11 PM

Baek and Sasaki walked along the sidewalk together, saying their goodbyes. "Good luck on your match Yong, hope you take Joe down." Sasaki called out as he walked away.

Baek replied with a nod and raised his hand, giving him the 'later' gesture. Yong-Hwa was a block or so away from his apartment, giving him a few minutes to think about his predicament. He knew by now that he wouldn't get Jang-Ha back if he went along with Geese's plan. Knowing Jang-Ha, he was probably thinking about escaping too. So his plan was based entirely on hope, hope that his brother would be daring enough to pull off something like that.

And even if they escaped, what would they do after that? Geese would find their location eventually, and might even kidnap Jang-Ha again, or worse. However, Baek immediately thought of Terry Bogard, a man who Geese could never defeat. Despite everything that's happened between them, Terry's still around. Then again, none of his henchmen are strong enough to beat Terry.

The kickboxer then compared himself to his current goons: Cadao was easy work, Billy Kane wasn't anything special without his stick, and Yamazaki—he wasn't sure. Maybe Yamazaki would just ignore them, but that was wishful thinking at best. Maybe Duck King and Sasaki could stall him while he and his brother escape. But as Baek pondered, he ran into a certain someone.

"Small world isn't it, kid?" the champion, Joe Higashi, stood before him, "This time, you and I are gonna finish our fight. That is, unless you run away again." He taunted.

Normally, Baek would've taken offense to that, but ironically that might be the case. "Joe," he started, "I can't promise anything." And left on that cryptic message, leaving Joe to decipher it however he wanted. As much as Baek wanted a shot at the title, he couldn't let Geese have his way.

Joe let out a huff, wondering what Baek's deal was. Terry did tell him about his predicament, but Joe wouldn't pull any punches against him. Higashi knew it was tough and that he seemed a little harsh, but that was because he knew in his gut that everything would turn out for the best. And that he would get his rematch one way or another.

----

Next Chapter Preview: The day of the fight! Baek and Joe finally face off in the ring! Meanwhile, Jang-Ha begins to set his escape plans in motion. But will Cadao intervene? And will Sasaki and Duck King be able to get to Jang and help him in time?

Next Chapter: Fight Night


	8. Round 8: Fight Night

**Brothers of Southtown**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the King of Fighters or any of its characters, all of them are the property of SNK Playmore. No copyright infringement intended. I do own Baek Yong-Hwa, Jang-Ha and Gum all of which may not be used without my permission.

Note: Been months, finally decided to get off my butt and start writing again!

----

**Round 8: Fight Night**

Southtown Sports Arena locker room A

The day had finally come, the day that Baek Yong-Hwa would have to face "Hurricane Upper" Joe Higashi. Minutes seemed as long as hours as he sat on the bench, almost in a daze. Eddie's words seemed like distant echoes as he focused the clock that rest upon the wall. Baek's mind felt blank, as if someone had reset it. He gazed at the blue design on his white trunks, following every stray mark that made the pattern. Suddenly, he felt Eddie's fingers lift his head up and everything steadily came back into perspective.

"Hey! Ya listenin'?" Benji asked as the door suddenly opened.

"Baek Yong-Hwa." called the messenger.

Every hardship, every sleepless night, every punch and kick thrown was for this one fight. He had to give Geese some credit, despite the notoriety that came with his association; at least he would get a chance to dethrone Higashi. The kickboxer thought back to when this whole ordeal started, it was in this very stadium. He was so annoyed with Higashi; all he did was fight lesser opponents, people he knew he could beat. Most of his fights didn't even get past the first round. To Baek, Joe was a guy that loved to swat flies; perhaps it was time someone swatted him, and maybe Baek would be the one to do it.

Baek examined the Hangul that had been etched in his skin 용기(courage), that's what he would need right now. Jiro and Duck King would do their part, his main focus had to be on his. Yong-Hwa had several ideas on how this could end; most of them bad. Geese Howard was a powerful man, if he managed to escape tonight, where would he and Jang-Ha go? Yong-Hwa hoped his little brother had thought that part out…

Benji led him out the door, joking that if Baek won this fight, he could probably use the money to pay off his debts to Geese. Eddie was silent, his face stiff with a heavy expression. Fortunate for him, he was behind them, so they couldn't see him. He had done all he could to get Baek ready for this, but the whole ordeal seemed like a lose-lose situation. Baek wins: Geese would own him for life, Baek loses: Jang-Ha dies and Baek soon after. It was like a book with a sad ending somebody spoiled.

Locker room B

As Joe jabbed at a punching bag, the door suddenly opened. Joe turned, expecting the messenger, but in his place was Terry Bogard.

"What's up Terry?" Joe asked, placing a hand on his hip.

"Just wanted to stop by to say good luck," Answered the Lone Wolf as he adjusted his cap

"Thanks man. I'm gonna put on a show tonight! This is the same guy that I got into that scrap with months ago. So at least this guy's gonna give me a decent match." Higashi commented, noticing the messenger at the doorway. "Well gotta go Terry, see ya later!" with that said, Joe was out the door. In the hallway, he let out his trademark, "OSHAA!!"

Terry grinned and shook his head, making his way out of the room and—towards the lobby?

Geese's skybox 

Jang-Ha wasn't faring much better than his older brother. Jang-Ha knew how he was going to escape; his plan even had phases to it. The escape method wasn't what he was concerned about at the moment. None of it would matter if his acting portion sucked. He had to be sincere with every line, no faltering, no giggles, no grin slipping. If he couldn't get the excuse to leave the skybox, his whole plan would be ruined.

The young Bboy had an idea about what to do after they escaped. Jang-Ha recalled that Terry Bogard was still around despite nearly killing Geese. So if Jang-Ha stuck close to Terry while he was out, he wouldn't end up getting kidnapped again. Jang-Ha knew the plan sounded stupid, but that was the best he could come up with.

Jang-Ha then raced his fingers through his dreads, which had really grown now, and placed his hands on the arm rests of his chair. He hated how long it was taking for the fight to get started. Jang-Ha probably wouldn't have been so aggravated if the last fight was a complete dud. That Shura guy was a joke! Even he could've beaten that clown. The younger Baek took a second to glance at his captors, Yamazaki wasn't around (thank goodness!), Billy Kane was out searching for his sister Lily (knowing she would be cheering Joe on), which left Cadao, Ripper and Hopper.

The younger Baek realized that either Ripper or Hopper would be better escorts than Kane. He was pretty sure he could escape without them knowing immediately, thanks to those stupid sunglasses they constantly wore. It suddenly hit Jang-Ha that he would need a bottle of water. The younger brother made his way to the fridge and, as luck would have it, there was a full bottle of it. Jang-Ha pulled out two of them and returned to his seat.

Jang-Ha was relieved when he saw the announcer enter the ring.

In the ring

"Ladies and Gentlemen: It is time for our Main Event!" The announcer declared, bringing the crowd back to life once more.

"Fighting out of the red corner-the challenger-The Kyuk-Too-Ki PRODIGY!! BAEK YONG-HWA!!"

Baek's theme was familiar to Jang-Ha's ears, Spitfire by Prodigy, a favorite of his. Jang-Ha was proud that he never lost sight of why he was doing this. As Baek entered the ring, he turned his head towards Geese's skybox, giving Jang-Ha a wink before saluting the crowd. As his music faded, he rested against his corner, breathing in a casual manner. "This fight will be the exclamation mark to everything that has led up to this point." Baek whispered to himself, looking at the rafters.

Suddenly music boomed throughout the stadium, a laser light show sparked, and a mist appeared at the entrance. From the haze came a confident Joe Higashi, title gleaming along his waist.

"Give it up for the current champion! JOE HIGASHI!" the crowd grew deafening as Joe entered the ring, fists raised in the air to salute the crowd.

Joe Higashi eased against his corner, watching Yong-Hwa with a confident smirk. Before this fight was over, Baek swore that he would knock that smirk off Joe's face.

The referee called them to the center to briefly go over the rules. Baek focused on Joe's headband to avoid looking at his cocky smile. The referee then asked the two, "any questions?"

"Yeah," Joe spoke out, "So kid, what round do you want this to end? 1st or 2nd?" he taunted

"Okay, knock it off! Touch fists for good luck." The referee commanded.

Baek placed his fists out with no hesitation, a determined look on his face. He wasn't going to let Joe get in his head like that. Higashi let out an amused hum and touched gloves with his adversary, surprised by Baek's behavior. 'Guess mind games don't work with his system' thought the champ as he strode back to his corner.

"Make it quick, Joe!" shouted his second as he worked his mouthguard in place

"Knock him out, Baek!" Benji demanded as he stuck in his mouthpiece.

The gong rang out and both fighters advanced towards each other.

Geese's Skybox

A malignant chortle seeped from Geese's mouth, "Everything's fallen into place," the mob boss turned his head to Jang-Ha, "Scared?" he asked, wanting to see that worried look on his captive's face. To his disappointment, Jang-Ha was drinking some bottled water with an excited look in his eye. Geese let out a loud 'hmph!' as he placed a classy cigar in his lips. Geese was going to make Yong-Hwa his next henchman, and he was going to break his spirit by killing Jang-Ha in front of him. One way or another, he was going to have dominion over Yong-Hwa.

Cadao slumped against the wall, his slanted cowboy hat hiding his face from his peers. His lips were curved in a smile, but his eyes were full of pain. This whole ordeal was going to hurt him as well. If Jang-Ha was killed, Yong-Hwa would target him since he's the one who put him on the radar. Cadao knew he was going to have to make a move himself. It was risky, but what was life without risk?

In the ring

As the two bounced around the ring, Joe started off with a few light jabs before landing a hard front kick to Baek's chest, forcing his younger adversary to stagger back. Not wasting any time, Joe rushed in and launched a firm low kick to Baek's thigh with a ringing smack. The smirk on Joe's face stretched as Baek tottered towards the corner. 'This'll be easier than I thought!' thought Joe as he launched a right hook, going for an early knockdown. But Baek ducked under the swing and tilted as he sent a fast left kick towards Joe's exposed ribs, holding onto the rope to keep his balance. Higashi quickly retreated near the center of the ring, realizing that he was being played with.

To add insult to injury, Baek strode towards the champ while showing off a cocky grin, shaking his head as if none of Joe's attack had any effect. As a scowl marked Joe's face, Baek felt an inner sense of victory. He promised he'd take that grin off his face. But they still had two minutes left, and Higashi wasn't going to screw around anymore. Joe realized that Baek wasn't some cannon fodder like his other challengers, which meant Joe would finally have a decent match instead of a squash session.

As Baek hopped in place, he risked a glance at Joe's feet to catch his rhythm, and noticed something was off. The next thing he knew, Joe was barreling towards him.

"SLASH KICK!" He roared as he sprung towards Baek, slamming his foot into his sternum. The impact took the air out of Baek's lungs, leaving his mouthpiece hanging on by the edges of his mouth. Baek was sent to the ropes, forced to defend against Joe's upcoming assault. The champ threw a barrage of punches towards the head, trying to go for an early knockout. Half the crowd cheered Joe on, the other half was begging for Baek to hang in there. While guarding against the flurry of punches, Baek managed to throw an uppercut which barely missed Joe's chin. Yong-Hwa used that momentary distraction to move to the side, getting some distance between him and Higashi.

But Joe wouldn't give him any time to recover and rushed him once more. As Joe neared, Baek noticed he was going to throw a straight kick. With excellent precision, Baek raised his left foot and slammed it down against Joe's thigh, forcing Joe to lean over. A smile marked Yong-Hwa's lips as he thrust his right knee upwards, slamming it into Joe's face—or so he thought. Baek's hopes were dashed when his knee felt a leather mitten instead of a breaking nose. As Baek sidestepped back to the center of the ring, he heard Joe utter 'nice one!' before striding after him. Baek's Fallen Angel technique had been defeated; this was going to be harder than he thought…

Geese's Skybox

There was a negative atmosphere inside Geese's quarters; the crime boss was displeased with Baek's performance. But Jang-Ha was the one who was the most upset. 'How can Yong let himself get beaten up like that?' Jang-Ha mentally balked. But then it dawned on him, with Geese focused on the fight, he wouldn't pay as much attention to his request. The moment the fight began, Jang-Ha started drinking a bunch of water, so that now he would have a reasonable excuse to go to the bathroom. Smoothly, the younger brother hid the other bottled water by his side and kept the empty one in plain view.

"Mr. Howard," Jang-Ha started

"What?" Geese spat, not even bothering to turn his head towards the kid.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" the younger Baek asked casually.

A long second passed before Geese said, "Hopper, take him."

Cadao watched as Hopper escorted Jang out of the skybox and noticed that the kid had another bottle of water dangling through his fingers. The thug had an idea of what Jang-Ha was planning, but Cadao decided to just feign ignorance. If Jang-Ha pulled off an escape, it would be one less thing for him to worry about. Cadao turned his attention back to the fight, glad to see Baek finally take a beating. Just because he liked Jang-Ha, didn't mean he had to like his brother.

In the ring

The first round was over and both fighters were in their corners. Higashi almost dominated the first round, keeping Baek on the defensive through most of the match. Joe's corner was pretty confident, his coach encouraging him to keep it up. "Just keep rushing him and don't give him a chance to go on the offensive." he told him. Joe had a few bruises on him, but he was in better shape than Yong. The challenger was going to have to pull out all the stops if he was going to have any chance of winning.

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Next Chapter Preview: As the fight between Yong and Joe rages on, Jang-Ha begins his escape while receiving some unexpected help. Meanwhile, Yong-Hwa receives strong words from his coach that reignite his fighting spirit. The next round promises to be explosive!

Next Chapter: The Deadly Kicks of Yong-Hwa


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